Previews

LEGO Batman: The Videogame

The Dynamic Duo are set to tackle criminals, seek out justice and... build blocks?

Spiffy:

Great source material to draw on; different suits; original story line.

Iffy:

Do we already know how the game will play out?

Traveller's Tales is at it again. Known best for the highly popular LEGO games such as LEGO Star Wars and more recently LEGO Indiana Jones, it seems as though their formula can do no wrong. Next up to be fitted with chunky children's building blocks is the Batman franchise. LEGO Batman: The Videogame is going to attempt to bring an amalgamation of the recent Batman films and fiction to the small screen in game form. This means that the story will be free to run wild with all of the nefarious villains from the Batman universe, and that Traveller's Tales can do what it likes to make the game fun and engaging.

The basic plotline sees Gotham City's criminal minds break out of Arkham Asylum and go on a crazy rampage which throws the city into chaos. From the beginning you (and a friend) will be able to tackle the story mode from either the good or the bad side. Playing the hero mode will mean you're controlling both Batman and Robin, whereas the villain mode will include the likes of Catwoman, The Joker, The Penguin, Scarecrow and Killer Croc.

While the core gameplay remains very similar to that of the other LEGO action-adventure games, there are a few enhancements to factor in. The game will feature a cool selection of vehicles like The Batmobile, Batboat and Batwing which can be used to take the action into the skies or across water. Another addition is the inclusion of a wide variety of different power suits. The glide suit, for example, will let you soar over gaps to otherwise unreachable areas, whereas the magnetic suit gives your character the ability to walk up and across metal surfaces. There's plenty of puzzle-solving to be done, and the suits promise to add to the head-scratching portions of the game.

LEGO Batman: The Videogame looks really sharp, and is certainly the best game in the series yet in terms of visuals. The environments actually have a gritty realistic tone to them, which is brought into stark contrast against the colorful, imaginative characters. The musical score has been lifted from the first "Batman" movie by Tim Burton, starring Michael Keaton. It's a nice touch and lends a lot to the atmosphere.

You can expect to see very familiar gameplay in terms of hand-to-hand combat and ranged fights. Certain characters like Mr. Freeze favor guns, while others such as Bane like to get in close and crush blocks with their hands. Jumping, climbing and assembling items made from broken-down blocks is all the same as before too. There won't be many surprises, but why mess with something if it's not broken?

The game promises to support a healthy number of play modes. Story mode will allow you to unlock new characters (the final roster or number of playable characters isn't being revealed just yet) and Freeplay mode gives you the chance to go back into any level you've played looking for bonuses and hidden items or areas. Of course, the collection of LEGO studs is a staple once more, and will allow for more special unlocks to be discovered.

LEGO Batman: The Videogame is scheduled to release on a wide variety of platforms later this fall. To the Batmobile!